Feed mechanism for an ingot produced by continuous casting,especially of steel



June 10, 1969 g uszczy s ETAL v3,448,908 FEED MECHANISM FOR AN INGOT PRODUCED BY I CONTINUOUS CASTING, ESPECIALLY OF STEEL Filed D60. 19, 1966 Leszek Gruszczgnski Henryk Adler INVENTORS.

Attorney United States Patent US. Cl. 226-164 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A feed mechanism for advancing the elongated continuous ingot of a system for the continuous casting of steel in which a frame carries a pair of double-arm levers with inner ends forming jaws engageable with the ingot and outer ends engaged in opposite direction by an actuating frame, both frames being freely movable parallel to the ingot on guideways flanking same. The guideways are supported on a pair of further frames while a hydraulic unit is anchored to one of the supporting frames and acts upon the actuating frame for reciprocating same.

The invention relates to a feed mechanism for advancing the continuous ingot in a plantfor the continuous casting of steel. 7

In known arrangements for the continuous casting of steel two mechanisms were principally employed hitherto. One such arrangement sets the crystallizer in reciprocating motion to prevent the ingot from adhering to the walls of the crystallizer; the other mechanism however, provided with drawing rollers, is designed to advance the ingot at a defined speed.

Both mechanisms have independent electric drives with synchronized rotational speeds. Each has its motor, a coupling or clutch, a gear transmission and a set of rollers in a rather complicated housing. The rollers are cooled with water.

These known systems are characterized by a complicated structure and large overall dimensions, thereby requiring high investment cost and requiring replacement of the crystallizer when the profile is changed as well as replacement of the rollers in an especially inconvenient and time-consuming operation.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of improved construction which is free from the faults mentioned above, is characterized by a simple structure, is cheap, is compact, and can carry out both basic operations without time-consuming service. Moreover, when the profile is to be changed, only the gripping jaw must be replaced.

The mechanism according to the invention is shown in the attached drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the device; and

FIG. 2 is a top view, in partial section along the line AA of FIG. 1.

In the drawing there are shown two gripping jaws 1 symmetrically applied to the continuous ingot 2 (shown in broken lines), which jaws are articulately borne by levers 3 having their rotation centers or pivots on a frame 4.

The opposite ends of levers 3 are driven by hydraulic power units 5 through a yoke 6, in a reciprocating motion. The yoke 6 and the frame 4 slide freely on a guideways 7 (not seen in FIG. 2).

The guideways 7 are fixed to a front column 8 and to a back column 9. To the front columns there are fixed, at pivots 5; the hydraulic power units 5. The yoke 6 is equipped with drivers 10. The frame 4, the yoke 6, front column 8 and back column 9 are internally cooled with circulating water. The gripping jaws 1 are "replaceable, depending upon the cross-sectional shape of the continuous ingot to which the jaws conform.

The feed mechanism for the continuous casting of steel, according to the invention, operates as follows:

In course of the operation of hydraulic power units 5 the yoke 6 travels forwardly on guideways 7 (to the right of the drawing) and presses with abutments 10' against the free end of the levers 3, thereby causing a clamping of gripping jaws 1 upon the continuous ingot 2. The further pressing of the yoke 6 upon the levers 3 affects their traveling together with the frame 4 on guideways 7 and shifting the continuous ingot 2, clamped with gripping jaws 1, forwardly (to the right).

During the return stroke, the hydraulic power units 5 draw the yoke to the left. The yoke 6, by means of drivers 10, opens the levers 3, causing the unclampin'g of gripping jaws 1, and, in turn, the traveling of the frame 4 backwards rearwardl-y.

What We claim is:

1. A feed mechanism for the elongated continuuos ingot produced in a continuous-casting system, said mechanism comprising:

a set of longitudinally extending guideways flanking said elongated ingot and lying generally parallel thereto;

a first frame mounted on saidguideways and longitudinally shiftable therealong;

a pair of clamping levers fulcrumed at intermediate 10- cations along their respective lengths to said first frame on substantially opposite sides of said ingot and having corresponding inner ends formed with jaws engageable with said ingot and corresponding outer ends extending away from said ingot;

a second frame mounted on said guideways and longitudinally shiftable therealong independently of said first frame, said second frame being formed with abutment means engageable with said outer erids of said levers upon displacement of said second frame toward said first frame to swing said jaws into clamping engagement with said ingot and thereafter advance said first frame and said ingot conjointly with said second frame, said second frame being further provided with driver means engageable with said outer ends of said levers for swinging said; jaws out of engagement with said ingot and thereafter entraining said first frame along with said second 3 4 frame upon displacement of the latter away from said 4. The mechanism defined in claim 2 wherein said jaws first frame along said guideways; and are removably mounted upon said inner arms of said reciprocating means acting upon said second frame levers and have configurations conforming to that of the for the reciprocating displacement thereof along said ingot. guideways. 5 2. The feed mechanism defined in claim 1, which fur- References Cited ther comprises a pair of support frames on opposite ends UNITED STATES PATENTS of said guideways and carrying same, said reciprocating means including hydraulic piston-and-eylinder arrange- 1 g ments anchored to one of said support frames and opera- 10 2308348 1/1943 226 165 X tively connected with said second frame. 51 8172 8/1950 Z Z;

3. The mechanism defined in claim 2 wherein all of said frames are hollow for the circulation of a cooling ALLEN N KNOWLES Primary Examiner fluid therethrough. a 

